Rail anchor



June 4, 1935. c. B. SHEPHERD 2,003,395

' RAIL ANCHOR Filed Feb. 5, 1928 Patented June 4, 1935 RAIL ANCHOR Charles B. Shepherd, New York, N; Y., assignor t v v The P & M Company, Ohicago 1Ill., a eorpo j fg' ration of Illinois Application February .3, 1928, Serial No. 251,571 Y 1 1,

3 claims. (crass- 330) "This invention relates to devices for preventing the longitudinal creeping of rails occasioned-by the pumping and vibratory action of moving trainsthereon, and more particularlyto those *5 devices knbwn as rail anchors or-anti-creepers.

7 This invention has for an object-to provide a one-piece; rail anchor having self-contained tension --means, saidtension means being positicned vertically to the bottom surface'of the rail base and normally above the ballast lineeven with-the cribs fulland not subject'to the loss of spring'effect due to the pounding and stretching under the pumping motion set up bymoving trains; v

Another'object-of this invention is to provide a one-piece rail anchor processed from a net piece of metal of relatively thin or narrow crosssection and so formed that the cross-sectional surfaces present edgewisecontact with the rail and are the only surfaces which contact with the rail piece. 7

A further object of this'invention is't'o provide a rail anchor'having an intermediate curved body member, said body member havinga lateral bend substantially at right angles to the'main rail flange engaging means; an easy or sweeping bend, and a portion-bent or turned upwardly to the other rail flange-engaging means on the oppositeend of the device.

Further objects will become apparent from the following description, appended claims and the accompanying drawing which form a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a front view in elevation of a rail anchor device constructed in accordance with my invention shown applied to the base flange of a rail, the said base flange being shown in crosssection.

Figure 2 is a plan view of my rail anchor.

Figure 3 is an isometric view of the anchor illustrated in the preceding figures.

Figure 4 illustrates the relation of the anchor to the rail prior to application.

Figure 5 illustrates one of the positions assumed by the rail anchor during its application to the base flanges of the rail.

Referring to the drawing in which like reference numerals refer to like parts, the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 is formed by blanking or stamping from a flat piece of metal of relatively thin or narrow cross-section, preferably carbon or alloy spring steel capable of being tempered.

The rail anchor as here illustrated comprises a jaw l adapted to engage the flange of the base of the rail on. one side thereof; The form-or shape of said jaw may be of anyc'ontour, but preferably it is made to conform to thekshape of the rail base flange which itiis. intended to grip and engage; It is also made of aslightly'larger size fo'r reasonshereinafter explained. 1 Disposed on the opposite endof the deviceis an upstanding means 2 adapted to engage the 'oppo'site'fiange of the rail base when the anchor is in its applied position. This means may be of any suitable construction for engaging the vertical edgeportion of the rail base to hold the jaw l'from backingoif the rail. In order to have little resistance to vertical tilting of the anchor when it is in use, the surfaces of the jaw portion which engage the top and bottom of the rail base are of a width corresponding to the thickness'of the material from 'whichit is formed. 'The jaw member! and the'rail engaging' riiean's 2 are each-provided with bema'de in" the shape illustrated, or bent atany angle inwardly" relative to the upright 'po'rtionsl and 2. 1 connecting the -said jaw and the said flange-en'gaging'means thereis a body member 3. This body member-is provided-withai lateral bend 4 adjacent the jaw l and substantially at right angles thereto. An easy or sweeping bend 4' provides a spring member exerting a strong pressure transversely on the rail flanges andalso a shoulder l l adapted to be struck by a spike maul or sledge or pressed on by a suitable tool during the application of the device to a rail. Succeeding this sweeping bend 4' the body member 3 is formed with a bend or turn 5 which inclines upwardly relative to the jaw 8 (Fig. 4) This bent portion 5 of the body member provides a vertical pressure against the bottom surface of the rail base at the surface 8 whereby the jaws l and 8' are caused to exert a strong lever grip on the base flange of the rail.

In order to facilitate tilting of the anchor and permit opposite edges of the rail engaging surfaces of the jaw members I and 8 to assume an angular position to the rail base and to bite the same with a wedge-like force, the clearance between the upper and lower jaw surfaces is slightly greater than the thickness of the rail base flanges which are engaged by said aws.

In order to permit the upper and outer surface, or edge, of the laterally bent body portion I 9 to come into angular contact with the bottom surface of the rail base and to function as a brace to support the jaws in resisting any forward creeping of the rail, the top surface of said body portion is disposed in a plane lower than the rail engaging surfaces 8 and 8', and so disposed that a tilting movement of the anchor about an axis extending transversely of the rail will force the upper edge of the body into engagement with the bottom surface of the rail base amrcxdmately simultaneously with the contacting of said upper and lower jaw edges.

In applying my rail anchor to the rail, the jaw I, since it is of a larger size than the rail flange, is partially slipped over the rail base flange until it does not go any, further and assumes the position illustratedin Figure 5. The shoulder II of the laterally bent portion 4 is then struck with a spike maul or sledge or pressed with a suitable tool whereby the rail engaging member 2 is caused to clear the edge of the oppositeflange and snap into place as iaown in figure 1. Due to the main jaw tie abutment 6 and the tie abutment I at the other and of the anchor, the anchor device is guided and supported during its application. Also these and the edgewise' contact by the eras-sectional surfaces forming the contacting surfaces of the jaws I and 8' increase the tendency to tilt and thereby increase the biting or grilling action :of the anchor device.

applied in position on the rail base flange there will be a strong downward pressure where the upper rigid jaw member I is in contact with the top surface of the rail base .flnnge and an upward pressure against the bottom surface of the opposite flange of the rail base at 8. Due to the resiliency of the easy bend 4 in the body member 3, the inner vertical surfaces of the engaging members I and 2 In! enert .a transverse pressure against the vertical edges of the rail base flanges.

Ichim: 1 1. A sheet metal rail anchor for application ad elwise on the base of a rail comprising a body extending under the .rail base, a jaw member on we end of the body to extend around and envwe said base at one side @of the rail, a tie abutting element at the same end of the body extending below said body, an upward extension on the other end of the body recessed to provide a small jaw arranged to automatically snap over and engage the upper corner portion of the rail base when the first mentioned jaw member is driven upon the other side of the rail base, and a tie abutting element at the small jaw end of the body extending below said body; said body being formed with lateral bends providing a bowed portion extending outwardly away from the tie.

2. A sheet metal rail anchor for application edgewise on the base of a rail comprising a body extending under the rail base, a jaw member on one end of the body to extend around and engage said ra'il base at one side of the rail, a tie abutting element at the same end of the body extending below said body, an upward extension on the other end of the body recessed to provide a small jaw arranged to automatically snap over and'engage the upper corner portion of the rail base when the first mentioned jaw member is driven upon the other side of the rail base, and a tie abutting element at the small jaw end of the body extending below said body; said body being formed with lateral bends near the first mentioned jaw end of the body providing a short sharply bowed out portion and a longer portion extending diagonally of the rail base. 1

3. A sheet metal rail anchor for application edgewise on the base of a rail comprising a body extending under the rail base, a jaw member on one end of the body to extend around and engage the rail base at one side of the rail, an upward extension on the other end of the body formed with a jaw member arranged to automatically snap over and engage theztop face of the rail base when the first mentioned jaw member is drivenon the other side of the rail base, tie abutting members on both ends of the body extending below said body and continuous with said jaw members and upward extension .respect'rvely; said body being formed with lateral bends providing a bowed portion extending outwardly away from the tie. v CHARLES B. SHEPHERD. 

